Dr Guy Leckenby has been awarded the FAIR-GSI PhD Award 2025 for his outstanding doctoral thesis on the study of bound-state beta decay with experiments conducted at the GSI/FAIR Experimental Storage Ring (ESR). His precision measurement of fully-ionized thallium-205 ions helped resolve a decades-old puzzle about the origin of lead in our solar system and represents a flagship achievement for GSI/FAIR.
Asslar, December XY,2025 – The award was presented by Daniel Sälzer, Managing Director of Pfeiffer Vacuum+Fab Solutions in Asslar, together with Professor Thomas Nilsson, Scientific Managing Director of GSI and FAIR, during a ceremonial colloquium.
With his groundbreaking research into the origins of materials in our solar system, Dr Guy Leckenby contributed valuable insights to the global scientific community, completing a 30-year quest among scientists to calculate accurate astrophysical decay rates for lead-205 and thallium-205 in stellar environments. His research project on measuring bound-state beta decay in fully-ionized thallium-205 ions was also among the major motivations for constructing the SIS-FRS-ESR* facility complex at GSI. This powerful chain of accelerators and storage rings produces, selects, and examines rare and heavy ions for cutting-edge nuclear and atomic research. Thallium-205 is stable as a neutral atom but decays when all bound electrons are removed – a phenomenon that can only be studied at heavy-ion storage rings like the ESR (Experimental Storage Ring) at GSI.
The FAIR-GSI PhD Award is presented annually by Pfeiffer Vacuum+Fab Solutions and GSI/FAIR for outstanding dissertations supported by GSI/FAIR through strategic partnerships with universities in Darmstadt, Frankfurt, Gießen, Heidelberg, Jena, and Mainz.
Pfeiffer Vacuum+Fab Solutions and GSI maintain a long-standing partnership. For decades, the company’s high and ultra-high vacuum solutions have enabled critical and groundbreaking experiments at GSI/FAIR.
Daniel Sälzer, Managing Director of Pfeiffer Vacuum+Fab Solutions in Asslar, says: “For Pfeiffer Vacuum+Fab Solutions, it is of great importance to support cutting-edge research. Vacuum technology is an indispensable tool, as it provides precise, controlled, and reliable conditions for experiments. We extend our highest recognition to Dr Guy Leckenby for his outstanding achievements and are proud that our solutions helped create the conditions necessary for his groundbreaking discoveries.”
About the Busch Group
The Busch Group is one of the world’s largest manufacturers of vacuum pumps, vacuum systems, blowers, compressors and gas abatement systems. Under its umbrella, the group houses two well-known brands: Busch Vacuum Solutions and Pfeiffer Vacuum+Fab Solutions. The gas abatement systems previously offered by centrotherm clean solutions – a former Busch Group brand – are now part of the Pfeiffer portfolio.
The extensive product and service offer includes solutions for vacuum, overpressure and abatement applications in all industries, such as food, semiconductors, analytics, chemicals and plastics. This also includes the design and construction of tailor-made vacuum systems and a worldwide service network.
The Busch Group is a family business that is managed by the Busch family. More than 8,000 employees in 44 countries worldwide work for the group. Busch is headquartered in Maulburg, Baden-Württemberg, in the tri-country region of Germany, France and Switzerland.
The Busch Group manufactures in its 23 own production plants in China, the Czech Republic, France, Germany, India, Romania, South Korea, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, the USA and Vietnam.
The Busch Group has an annual consolidated revenue of close to 2 billion Euro.
Media Contact
Pfeiffer Vacuum+Fab Solutions
Dr Sandra Thirtle-Höck
Head of Communications Busch Group
Pfeiffer Vacuum+Fab Solutions
Berliner Strasse 43
35614 Asslar, Germany
+49 (0)6441 802 – 1460
sandra.hoeck@pfeiffer-vacuum.com
www.pfeiffer-vacuum.com
www.buschgroup.com